It has been a while since I've written about this summer course, and now that half of it is over, I have a fairly good grasp on how to pass. It consists of lots and lots of studying.
It's an online course, so there are no classes that you need to physically attend, but studying takes at least 8 hours a day starting Friday afternoon and ending Thursday night. My perseverance has allowed me to get grades in the high 'B's so far. I'm fairly certain that I'll be getting my first B in a class in a very very long time.
Studying straight through in one whole sitting is impossible. It's much easier to study in blocks of 2 hours or so. Despite all of the information we are jamming into our heads, for me, the worst part isn't the stress. It's the lack of getting outside for fresh air. I can feel my body wasting away as I spend most of my day in my pajamas laying on my bed writing notes, reading textbooks and watching video lectures. I'm still able to get out and do a quick 15 minute run, but my days of working out are long gone.
Yesterday was Independence Day and I was lucky to be invited by my roommate to spend the holiday with her family in nearby Cheat Lake. There was a huge barbecue and everyone, myself included, brought a mountain of food. The company was friendly and the fireworks were spectacular. Although nearly everyone was a stranger to me, I'm sure they'll all never forget me. I'll be remembered as the guy who watched fireworks while reading from a pathology textbook in his lap.
Happy belated 4th of July!
Hi Forest! I've been reading your blog since Im looking into the PA route over medical school. How did you make sure that PA school was right for you? Just shadow visits or a job? Love to get a deeper prospective on your route to PA school.
ReplyDeleteThanks -Sarah
And good luck with your studies! I would be proud of those Bs since you have had to discipline yourself so much. It sounds like a tough class.
Forrest, I'm impressed you could concentrate with everything going around you at the celebration! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I'll be right there with you studying my rear off once classes start up for me in a month! When do you guys start cutting stuff in? I'm so used to grossing I think I will miss it for the first semester where we're in classes full time. Or have you already started gross anatomy lab?
Glad to see you are still finding time to have some fun. Keep up the good work, it is good to hear what you are up to!
ReplyDeleteHello Sarah. My interest in the laboratory sciences started way back in elementary school. My mother worked at the county public health department and all throughout the summers I would go with her to work. There, I was introduced to microscopes and bacteria, but my interest in pathology started in high school when I was finally able to take my first anatomy and physiology course. It was definitely my favorite class in all of high school.
ReplyDeleteEven though my posts may make me sound tired, I really do love pathology. I think that it's the same kind of love that Tiger Wood has for golf. Playing golf is a fun activity, but playing golf day in and day out can become grating.
Hi Tammy! We do get a few days in the gross room, but it's mostly observing the residents gross. I will say that my skills on the cryostat have gotten much better though. Our clinical rotations will begin in January of next year. I can't wait to dive into cutting!
Hey Chris, I'm glad to get all the support I can get. Not being able to hang out with all of you guys is a bit of a bummer, but I should be back before you know it.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the hard work, man! It's inspiring to see such dedication. I think I would probably brain-fry with that much required data retention. Seems like a bit of a critical mass, head implode sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteOne way or another, I know you're going to whoop that classes ass, and we all can't wait for you to visit again!
Hi Forrest, I am glad to hear that you have showed interest in pathology way back in your early days. It is no surprise that you have chosen this path. I was also surprised that you have remembered that you have gone to work with me. Now you have been in this program for one semester, you have worked hard toward this goal, I hope you will persevere in your studying and at the mean time make the most fun of it. After all you may not have another opportunity to experience it again. Remember when you graduate from the elementary school, Daddy wrote some comment at your autobiography. It starts like this, I know my son Forrest, he is a person of unlimited potential...... May this word of love will encourage you to go on. Mom
ReplyDeleteHi Dennis! With only two tests left to go my brain is at the breaking point. I can feel my skull begin to bulge out and crack. With some duct tape I should be fine for another week or two.
ReplyDeleteHi Forrest, I am a prospective PA student and I really enjoy the insight your blog provides. However, I was wondering if you would be able to share information on how you are tested on the material you are learning..including glimpse on tests format, practicals, etc. Thank you for your time and thank you very much for sharing! I look forward to future posts :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, Test material varies depending on the courses here at WVU. Some tests are fill-in-the-blank while other tests are purely multiple choice.
ReplyDeleteOne would think that the multiple choice questions would be inherently easier, however it's not as easy as it first looks. The really difficult multiple choice questions are actually compound questions, that is two questions in one.
For example, you'll be given a list of symptoms that a patient is suffering from, then you'll need to answer an additional question regarding the pathology. So you first need to know what the disease is in order to answer.
"A patient presents to you with "symptom 1", "symptom 2" and "symptom 3". What is a risk factor for this disease?"
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
So as you can see, it's as if there are two questions in one.
You can be relieved that there have been no long essay questions that I have encountered yet. Due to the nature of grading long written questions these types are just not too common.